20 Best Dog Movies

Dogs are very grateful movie characters, which is why cinema has devoted so much space to them. These are stories about brave companions who are capable of loving and sacrificing their lives for their owners. This genre encompasses many conventions. These can be fairy tales for children, family films, survival stories, adaptations of novels, or films based on real events.

In each of these types of cinema, the dog appears as an extraordinary hero: capable of the highest sacrifice and boundless love. Thanks to dogs, human characters can develop, appreciate their strengths, believe in themselves, or discover their own reserves of goodness and empathy. Dogs often become the initiators and driving forces of the action: they set off a chain of events leading to extraordinary adventures or the discovery of love. They reconcile feuding parties, point out the right choices, and provide respite from difficult everyday life.

Another common theme in films about dogs is disaster. In this case, the animal hero performs heroic deeds and rescues others from danger. It calls for help, puts itself at risk, and even sacrifices its life to save people. Cinema has therefore taken a particular liking to this hero, dedicating many interesting works to it. Here is a selection of the 20 best films about dogs.

The best dog films

1. “Beethoven” (1992) – dir. Brian Levant

“Beethoven” is a great family film from the 1990s about the adventures of a brave St. Bernard who accidentally ends up as a puppy with a nice family. He quickly wins the hearts of the children and later the strict father, Mr. Newton. As Beethoven grows up, he faces challenges that will bring the whole family closer together. The film stars Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Nicholle Tom, Stanley Tucci, and David Duchovny.

2. „101 Dalmatians” (1996) – dir. Stephen Terek

“101 Dalmatians” is an instructive but also funny story about cute puppies who become the object of interest of a certain Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close). The owner of a fashion house dreams of a fur coat made from the skins of these cute dogs. For this reason, she pressures her employee Anita to sell her the newborn puppies. Anita (Joely Richardson) and her husband Roger (Jeff Daniels) are the proud owners of a pair of beautiful Dalmatians: Perdita and Pongo. Cruella’s obsession with the dogs eventually leads her to commit a crime…

3. “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1993) – dir. Duwayne Dunham

“Homeward Bound” is a moving film about three extraordinary animals: two dogs and a cat belonging to three siblings, Peter, Hope, and Jamie. The family lives on a rural farm. When the children’s mother remarries, the decision is made to move to the city. The children have to give their pets to a family they are friends with. However, Shadow the dog, Chance the puppy, and Sassy the cat cannot bear to be apart from the children and set off on a journey to find them.

4. “Snow Dogs” (2002) – dir. Brian Levant

“Snow Dogs” is a movie that will surely appeal to all animal lovers. Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a wealthy dentist from Florida, receives a message one day that he has received a special inheritance. The man learns that he was adopted and that his biological mother has died and left him a team of huskies. Ted therefore travels to Alaska to take care of his animals. He has no idea that they will change his outlook on life.

5. “Iron Will “(1994) – dir. Charles Haid

“Iron Will” is a film about canine wisdom and courage. When Will’s father (Mackenzie Astin) dies suddenly, the boy takes it upon himself to support his family. He knows it won’t be easy, so he comes up with the idea of taking part in a dog sled race, where he can win a large cash prize. The dangerous competition requires enormous effort. Will puts his guide dog Gus at the head of the team. The success of the whole venture will depend on him.

6. “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” (2009) – dir. Lasse Hallstrom

“Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” is a story about an extraordinary friendship. One day, Professor Parker (Richard Gere) finds a puppy at the train station. He decides to take care of him temporarily, hoping that the dog will find a new home. Over time, however, the man becomes increasingly attached to the dog. Faithful Hachiko waits every day for his master to return to the station. One day, however, the professor does not show up.

7. “Lady and the Tramp” (1955)

“Lady and the Tramp” is a beautiful Disney story about love. One day, the titular mutt Tramp meets a beautiful spaniel named Lady. The dog falls madly in love, but fears he has no chance with the well-groomed bitch from a wealthy home. Nevertheless, he fights for her affection and invites her to romantic dinners at the back of an Italian restaurant. One day, Lady is caught by a terrible dogcatcher, and Tramp must do everything he can to free her.

8. “Max” (2015) – dir. Boaz Yakin

“Max” is a brave military dog who is sent on a mission to Afghanistan. Once there, he bravely and selflessly helps the soldiers. However, his owner, Kyle Wincott (Robbie Amell), is killed, and after this event, the dog begins to rebel and refuses to listen to anyone. After returning home, Max is adopted by his deceased owner’s brother, Justin (Josh Wiggins), a dog trainer.

9. “White Fang” (1991) – dir. Randal Kleiser

The movie “White Fang” is set in Alaska at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, during the so-called gold rush. Jack (Ethan Hawke) inherits a plot of land in the area. During his journey to his property, the protagonist meets an unusual dog. White Fang is forced to take part in brutal dog fights. Jack rescues the animal and decides to take care of him.

10. “Lassie Come Home” (1943) – dir. Fred M. Wilcox

“Lassie Come Home” is a classic family movie. The film is based on Eric Knight’s novel about the adventures of a long-haired Scottish sheepdog. Lassie is the beloved dog of Joe (Roddy McDowall), a boy growing up on an English farm. When the family falls into financial trouble, the dog is sold to a wealthy owner who takes the animal far away. However, Lassie never forgets her first home and sets off on a long and dangerous journey back.

11. “My Dog Skip” (2000) – dir. Jay Russell

“My Dog Skip” is a story about the friendship between a dog and a nine-year-old boy. The film is set in the 1940s. Willie (Frankie Muniz) is an only child and suffers from loneliness. One day, he gets a little dog, which he names Skip. With the arrival of the pet, the boy’s life changes completely. Not only does he gain a loyal playmate, but new opportunities to make interesting friends also arise.

12. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” (2019) – dir. Simon Curtis

“The Art of Racing in the Rain” is a movie whose main character is Enzo, a race car driver’s dog. Together with his master, Denny (Milo Ventimiglia), he takes part in numerous races. He also accompanies Denny when he starts a family with Eve (Amanda Seyfried) and raises a child. However, the hardest part is yet to come with Denny’s tragic accident.

13. “Isle of Dogs” (2018) – dir. Wes Anderson

“Isle of Dogs” is a Silver Bear-winning Japanese movie set in a futuristic world. In the city of Megasaki, a cruel law comes into force ordering all dogs to be sent to a landfill. Atari, a 12-year-old boy, cannot accept this and goes to the island to rescue his four-legged friend. There, he meets many friendly dogs and decides to fight with them to change the world.

14. “Bolt” (2008) – directed by Chris Williams and Byron Howard

“Bolt” is an educational and entertaining story about a dog who is a Hollywood star. The animal believes that, like the character he plays, he has been given superpowers and that everything that happens on screen is real. When Penny, Bolt’s owner, is kidnapped in one of the episodes, the dog immediately decides to rescue her. To do so, he must embark on a long and dangerous journey, accompanied by a cat named Marlena and a hamster named Attila.

15. “A Dog’s Purpose” (2017) – dir. Lasse Hallstrom

“A Dog’s Purpose” is an extraordinary movie about the journey of a four-legged friend named Bailey through numerous dog incarnations. In one of his subsequent incarnations, the animal meets Ethan, with whom he forms a bond stronger than death. Bailey will do anything to accompany his master in his next lives.

16. “Eight Below” (2006) – dir. Frank Marshall

“Eight Below” is based on a true story. During a scientific expedition in search of a meteorite, involving four people and eight dogs, a dangerous snowstorm breaks out. The dogs heroically save the geologist’s life, but are left behind due to a lack of space on the rescue plane. The dogs embark on a desperate struggle for survival in extremely difficult conditions.

17. “A Dog’s Way Home” (2019) – dir. Charles Martin Smith

Charles Martin Smith’s film tells the story of a loyal dog named Bella. The dog is cared for by her loving owner, Lucas (Jonah Hauer-King). One day, however, the friends are separated. Bella, who cannot forget her master, sets off on a deadly journey back home. Along the way, she meets animals and people who need her help.

18. “Marley & Me” (2008) – dir. David Frankel

“Marley & Me” is a funny comedy about the fate of a young married couple. John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) buy a house after getting married and start a life together. The woman dreams of having a child, but John, who wants to postpone fatherhood, comes up with the idea of buying a dog. Together, they adopt a young Labrador named Marley. Of course, the dog completely changes the couple’s outlook on life.

19. “Balto” (1995) – dir. Simon Wells

“Balto” is a beautiful animated film set in the 1920s. A homeless dog, a cross between a husky and a wolf, does not have an easy life as a mongrel. He is despised by both other dogs and humans. One winter, the Alaskan village where he lives is cut off from the world. A diphtheria epidemic breaks out in the village. The dogs tasked with delivering medicine are trapped in the snow. Only the heroic Balto can save the village.

20. “Trouble” (2019) – dir. Kevin Johnson

“Trouble” is the story of a dog who grows up in unusual luxury. His well-being and exquisite meals are taken care of by the staff employed in the dog’s owner’s stately mansion. One day, however, the elderly lady dies and her heirs throw Trouble out onto the street. From then on, the dog, accustomed to comfort, will have to face very mundane concerns. However, his adventure will not be in vain: thanks to it, he will make true friends and find true love with a pizza delivery girl.